Act slammed by some leaders, but minister insists, “All the concerns they expressed are being addressed.”

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt defends the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act in Ottawa on Thursday, saying it meets the five conditions outlined by the Assembly of First Nations and chiefs during a meeting in December.

By:Lee-Anne GoodmanThe Canadian Press, Published on Thu Apr 10 2014

OTTAWA—The federal government has tabled its First Nations education bill despite complaints from some aboriginal organizations that it skimps on funding and doesn’t give natives control of their education systems.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Bernard Valcourt defended Bill C-33, dubbed the First Nations Control of First Nations Education Act, saying it meets the five conditions outlined by the Assembly of First Nations and chiefs during a meeting in December.

“All the concerns they expressed are being addressed,” Valcourt told reporters on Thursday. He added that he hopes those chiefs opposed to the legislation will come around after reading it.

The bill proposes a way in which First Nations can come together to effectively form school boards while receiving sustainable funding, a government official told a technical briefing shortly before the bill was introduced in Parliament.

Some of the country’s 600 separate First Nations have rejected Ottawa’s efforts, saying all authority remains in the hands of the federal government under the legislation and that First Nations will continue to lack any control over their education systems.

They also say funding is also insufficient.

Vice-Chief Bobby Cameron of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations says aboriginals have treaty rights to education under international law that cannot take a back seat to federal legislation.

He adds that the federal government failed to consult in any serious way with First Nations and have ignored all concerns raised by aboriginal organizations.

But Shawn Atleo, national chief of the Assembly of First Nations, once again threw his support behind the bill. Atleo appeared with Stephen Harper in Alberta in February as the prime minister unveiled his government’s retooled plan to reform First Nations education.

Atleo assured AFN’s regional chiefs that the Conservatives had agreed to conditions set out last year that threatened to derail the reform process.

Those conditions called on the government to ensure aboriginal communities retain control of education, and to provide a statutory funding guarantee, recognition of First Nations languages and culture, shared oversight and ongoing, meaningful engagement.

Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada says that in 2011-12, it spent about $1.55 billion on First Nations education from kindergarten to Grade 12, and another $322 million on First Nations and Inuit students pursuing post-secondary education.

That’s on top of about $200 million spent on infrastructure for schools and classrooms.

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